Ten Commandments in School

If it’s not about Jesus, it’s not about anything

Motto of the Fountain of Life

Opposition against displays of the Ten Commandments in public buildings seems common in America. Jesus is not the issue here. His identity is not considered relevant. The issue is framed as religious preference shown in government buildings. When the very existence of God is not considered relevant, how can we address this? Although opponents dismiss Him, Christians know that Jesus is the foundation of everything. That includes the freedom and morality discussed here. Although not mentioned directly, Jesus is at the heart of this paper’s defense of the Ten Commandments.

The 9/28/12 edition headline of my local paper was “Monument’s removal demanded.” Two Jane Does sued the Connellsville, Pennsylvania  Area School District. One Jane Doe charged that “The display of the Ten Commandments usurps her parental authority over religious or non-religious education. The 9/28/12 edition also carried a small largely overlooked piece in the Religious Briefs: The German Government asses a 9% religious tax on registered Catholics, Protestants and Jews for the benefit of religious communities.

An earlier edition published a letter which protested the Ten Commandment monument. It succinctly outlined opinions held by many. The author’s question was, “Why has the monument remained there for as long as it has?” He wrote that “the courts settled the issue decades ago with regard to preference of one religion over another in publicly financed schools. Religious dogma belongs in church…”

Today, let us attempt to answer the question and address the Ten Commandment issue from a different perspective. The monument has remained there for so long because the Ten Commandments are intricately woven into the fabric of Western Culture. They stand with the law codes of Solon, the Code of Hammurabi and the Magna Carta as symbols in the evolution of jurisprudence, but more importantly, as symbols of human freedom.

Elevating the tag of religious dogma over the Commandments is an error. They are perhaps the greatest declaration of independence ever written. A slave people labored over 400 years under despots. Upon their release from bondage they were given this declaration of nationhood to assume their rightful place in the political world. Laws make peoples nations. The Commandments were given in that capacity. They formed an unincorporated people into a nation. The people’s religious dogma did not have the capacity to do that. Religious dogma formulated their worship not their citizenship. If anyone wishes to explore their religious dogma one must research their dietary laws, sacrificial laws, purity laws, holy feast days and seasons. This religious dogma does not attach itself to the Commandments.

Here is a good time to reread the 1st Amendment. “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” In reference to preference of one religion over another the Founding Fathers faced the Church of England whose head was the King of England. American Religion offered the moral sanction for the Revolution. That should never be overlooked. Preference of religion was not an issue. The working model opposed by the framers of the Constitution was the relationship of the State to the Church of England. This was not to be tolerated in America. The current situation of the German state religious tax is another model the framers would have opposed.

While on jury duty some time ago, one of the judges advised us upon weighing the evidence presented in cases. One term used was “The reasonable man concept.” In other words, what would a reasonable person do when confronted by the situation faced in the trial? In a similar fashion, would a reasonable person see the display of the 10 Commandments rise to the level of the State of Pennsylvania establishing an organized religion with the Governor as the chief priest, and taxing portions of the populace to support the religion or usurping parental authority?

The plaintiff in the above law suit states that the Ten Commandment monument “places coercive pressure” on her and her student daughter to adopt a certain religious view. Likewise am I also not at liberty to fear that the State’s forceful removal of the monument intimidates my free exercise of religion and coerces my right of free speech and association? Just asking. In fact, I feel no intimidation or coercion from Jewish Americans considering that the Ten Commandments were their commandments 1400 years before they became Christian Commandments.

What symbolic message would removal send? Thou shalt not kill. Is that really religious dogma? I think of Columbine and weep. Perhaps you remember a cartoon. A young girl cried to God, “Where were you when this was happening?” God responded, “I am not allowed in public schools.”

Thou shalt not steal or bear false witness. High grades land good jobs. A student can work hard for that grade or instead lie, cheat and steal for it. Both options are valid in a Ten Commandment Free Zone. The sub-prime meltdown is proof of that. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Students are to realize that they may have multiple sex partners. By extension, multiple partners within marriage is acceptable. Adultery and fornication are only religious dogma and of no consequence in school.

Just as Andes Serano’s 1987 work “Immersion (Piss Christ)” is viewed as art and protected under free speech likewise the Ten Commandments monument may validly be viewed as cultural history and retain its rightful place as a gift by free citizens to the school district which serves them. I want to assure the Jane Does that, properly understood, the Ten Commandments assure them more freedom than they could ever imagine. Much more than any declaration of state’s rights, which may change at the whim of the judiciary or electorate. Freedoms found umbrellaed under the Ten Commandments are inalienable and eternal and universal. That includes the freedom to reject them.

Let me close with perhaps two of the most inflammatory statements possible in the public forum. 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one'. And my personal favorite, "I love you Jesus".

The grace and peace of God our Father and of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Rev.George Relic, Assistant Pastor

Fountain of Life, Washington, PA

A Congregation of Grace Communion International

Seeing the Ark

The Apostle John, on the Lord’s Day, that is ancient sources tell us is the First day of the week, that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to the Apostles  showing they and we that that He is alive.

This living Savior comes to John to give him, and all Christians in his day, and throughout the ages, to give encouragement and assurance that He Jesus lives

. The Book of Revelation is not just about "events" that unfold at the end of human history, but rather it speaks to us about Jesus, about Who He is for us and with us.

For Any & All  Difficult Times

The Book of Revelation was written during times of great stress  and uncertainty  for the church. There were many hardships upon the lives of Christians,  there were problem and persecutions,  within and without the Church. Uncertain times like our own. This Book was written to encourage Christan in any and all times of hardship, no matter when they come upon us no matter what age in which we live.

 Seeing the Ark

John sees in the Eleventh Chapter  a vision which shows him ,and all of us the Temple of God in the Heavens.

“Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.” Rev: 11:19

Many wonder what this cryptic reference to seeing the Ark of the Covenant in the temple means. Some ask, is the Ark now residing in the Heavens? Is there a spirit composed "real Ark" of which the earthly one was but a copy? John see it without obstruction, the Temple we are told is "opened".

Day of Atonement-Beyond The Veil

Recall that the Ark was kept in the Holy of Holies – that is the part of the Temple behind the curtain, 

"He made the veil of violet, purple, crimson and fine linen, and he worked cherubim on it"   2Chronicles 3:14

This Veil separated the Holy of Holies from the Sanctuary and kept the Ark    out of sight and  inaccessible except once a year  on the Day of Atonement,  and then access was given  only to the High Priest who offered sacrifices on behalf of the people of Israel.

Yet for the rest of the Priest and Leviets and the people, none else might enter,  access to the symbolic presence  of the Great God was greatly limited.

 

 We See the Ark in the Open Temple

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But now John's in vision , on the Island of Patmos  he sees the Ark of God in an open Temple;  and we see it through the pages of Scripture there in Heaven.  The Temple and Heaven is now open- what is the Holy Spirit speaking to us. Is  He just informing us of the location of a long sought for artifact . Is the Ark of the Covenant in Heaven?  Well, maybe, He is telling us something more important,  more relevant to our daily Christian lives; especially in difficult times in which we may find our selves.

Here in vision the Ark is seen, that is: The Temple is opened the veil has been rent asunder and we can see the Ark in the Holy of Holies , this speaks to all of us,  that we are able to enter the Holy of Holies.  The veil has been "rent",  God is accessible,  not just to High Priest one day out of the  year,  but always and to all.

The Rent Veil

When our Lord Jesus hung upon the cross, and there having suffered and died  for all human sin and in doing so, atoned   for all of us,  God in Christ wrought humanities atonement. And breathing His last , at Jesus' moment of death the veil within the Temple was rent from top to bottom opening the Holy of Holies to all.

 "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." Matthew:27:50-51

The rent veil show each and all that the way to God is now open for all, Jesus’ death took away anything that could keep us from God.   The way to the Holy of Holies  is opened to us all. All excuses are taken away, all reason for not being in a relationship with the Great God are nullified. The Holy of Holies is an unencumbered  relationship with God, not just a position that is occupied. We can come to Him at any time of need or hardship. Consider how this impacted the early church facing hardship and even death. This gave them and we, confidence that our God is there for us in times of difficulty. 

"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Hebrews:4:16

Jesus our High Priest has passed into the Heavens and by Him we are brought into the very Holy of Holies, He is there with and for us.

 "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews:6:19-20

 The  Rent Veil of Flesh

 Even in times in our struggles against the pulls of the world and flesh Jesus as done all to keep the flesh  from hindering us . Jesus through taking on and sharing our humanity, that is the flesh, and by dieing in the flesh on the cross,  Jesus has  "rent the veil" of the flesh. That is ,the flesh which would have kept us out of a relationship with God is "rent", made no effect , its  power of sin to keep us out of the Holy of Holies is "rent" . We can come to Him. The flesh's power is nullified, only we can stop our selves from coming to God. We can see the Ark. The Temple is open to us.

  "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" Hebrews:10:19-23

 Died in Him

By Jesus dieing , we, in Him have died as well. That is the  flesh's and  sin's power is no longer keeping us from our God.

 "For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2Corinthians:5:14-15 

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace" Romans:6:1-14

We are baptized into the power of His Death and His Life, sin's claim on us is broken in Christ.  By His death we are counted as dead, and by His resurrection we are count as alive. The veil  of flesh is "rent";

we can see the  Ark in the Temple is opened.  We have access to God at any and all times.There is nothing to keep us out but our own unwillingness to enter in to that Holy of Holies Relationship . There is great comfort in being able to enter that most Holy place where we  see the Ark of the Covenant....Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

Fountain of Life Church

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 in Washington, Pa.

And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

Wrestling the Angel

The Patriarch Jacob

  Jacob was now on a journey home to the land that God gave to Abraham, Issac and himself,  this journey home would  lead him to an unexpected encounter with the great God.We can read his story  and about his encounter in Genesis:32:22-33 

Jacob anticipated a negative encounter with his elder brother Esau , who was ahead ,and he believed was waiting for him, desiring vengeance for taking his birth right and blessings

Jacob divides his family and sends them ahead, while he stays behind alone at the Ford of Jabbok

"That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok." Genesis:32:22

The Ford at Jabbok, was a dark and desolate and strange  place, yet it was here Jacob's life would be transformed.

Validation

All Jacob's life he had sought validation from others, Issac, Rebeka, Laban, his wives, concubines and wealth. But he never really sought it from the only one who could truly grant it to him, that is the Eternal God. He had spent his life wrestling for this validation, yet it had eluded him, always wanting but never finding it, this need was never met,  always seeking it through the wrong means.

Alone

But now, here alone in this dark and forlorn place that God came to him, in the form of a man, this is what theologians call a Theophany, that is God accommodates humanity, (pre-incarnation),  and engaged Jacob in an all night  wrestling match.

"After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak." Genesis:32:22-24a

Wrestling the Angel

For Whatever issues and short comings  Jacob may have had, he showed a measure tenacity even with a painful hip displacement, and  in wrestling the hips are the place where your greatest strength comes from. Yet Jacob did not let go of "the man".

"When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered. 

In the midst of the struggle "the man" demands to be turned lose, but Jacob refuses until he is blessed. "the man"  asked Jacob's name,  and here Jacob's request for blessing is finally supported by honesty, and he answers "Jacob" , the importance of this moment is great, recall that Jacob had received great blessing from his blind father Issac, through deception, telling Issac that he was Esau -Genesis:27
 Now he is honest about who he is, not just his name, but who he is, that is his nature. He was brought to face the truth about himself. His very name Jacob means tripper, deceiver.

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip."

Jacob carried the pain of that struggle with God in that dark and strange place  with him for the remainder of his days, yet as painful as it was,  it was a ever present reminder of the transformation that God blessed him with, he would never forget that moment of blessing and seeing God face to face.

We All Wrestle the Angel  

Jacob's story is our story. All of us have like Jacob have sought our validation through means and ways that simply will never work. It is when we find ourselves uncertain of what lies ahead in our journey home to those things that our God has promised ,we may find ourselves  alone in dark strange  and forlorn places.In these dark and strange places, places we may never have thought that we would find ourselves that God will come to us and engage us in a struggle, all through the night. Like Jacob we may not recognize who it is that we struggle with. There in the darkness going back and forth, being tossed, pushing and holding, countering our every move. 

Like Jacob our place of greatest strength might be dislocated, what ever we may have  relied the most may be wounded and become painful , no longer useful as strength and leverage. We reach the point that we run out of strategies and tactics , that all we can do is hold on. 

What Is Your Name?

Then we hear the question " “What is your name?”  , that is, who are you? God speaks and He asks us to be honest about our selves- and it is then when we confess the truth about our selves, that is, what the struggle was all about,  to show us , that we,  like Jacob have gone through life  seeking to uses our own cleverness and abilities. That we have lived out of the strength of  the flesh.  When we , in the midst of wrestling the Angel ,   are brought to see the truth about ourselves then we can be blessed;  be called by a new name  as Jacob was.  Given a new name a renewed nature  a new identity. We become overcomes, a child of God.  All because we cling to our Lord  and will not turn Him lose and confessed the truth about who we are. And because we held on throughout the long struggle and  the light  of day came and we behold the face of our God. That is we see Him a bit clearer and we perceive  that it was God all along who grappled  was with us, all for our good and blessing.

Walking With A Limp

But we may walk in victory with a limp, even as Jacob.  That is,  God may leave an ever-present reminder in our lives of the night we Wrestled the Angel, He may allow that place of greatest strength and leverage to be painful to us, all the rest of our days....That it will remind us of the transformational struggle in that dark and strange place where our God  met us and we came to see the truth about who we are and then  we saw Him face to faced in the clear light of that glorious dawn, walking with a limp; but walking as a victor in Christ having received His blessing.  ...Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

Fountain of Life Church

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 in Washington, Pa.

And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

The Divine Dialogue

The Author of the Book of Hebrews was moved by the Holy Spirit to draw from the Scriptures, largely from the Psalms , verses that allow us to listen  in to an internal conversation that God has within Himself,  these verses are "the Divine Dialogue".

The  Language of Accommodation 

  I want to ask you to understand that  the whole of the Bible is written in the "Language of Accommodation" that is God has spoken to us , that is humanity,  in a way that we can almost understand  these great eternal things, we being limited can never fully grasp and understand a God Who, in every way , defies description.  There are no  words in any Language here upon the Earth or even in the mouths of angels above to speak of the Great God as He is. He is high above all. What we do comprehend we only do so through revelation and the Holy Spirit's leading.

During this Holy Dialogue, this  conversation, it is the Father speaking , then the Son, and the Holy Spirit. At times the verses speak for each . Yet always speaking in Love and honor one for another.

The Eternal God brings us into this conversation through the Hebrew's Epistle and we join it through Jesus Christ .He  allows us to see the reckoning that the Great God has for His Son Jesus Christ, and the honor that Has been placed upon Him by The Father. The human writer then added commentary for us, giving us understand about the conversation.

The Father to The Son , and All of Us.

After some introductory comments the writer of the Hebrews Epistle begins giving us understand that the focus of the conversation is Jesus Christ and His place of supremacy,    then we  hear the Father speak of His Son Jesus Christ.

 

The Father to Jesus: "You are my Son; today I have become your Father"? Or again,To ALL "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"? Heb:1:5

At the Incarnation, The Father to Angel: "Let all God's angels worship Him." Heb:1:6

The The Holy Spirit to All, About the Angels;"He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire." Heb:1:7

The Father to Jesus:, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." Heb:1:8-9

The Father  to Jesus: "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end." Heb:1:10-12

The Holy Spirit :"To which of the angels did God ever say, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? Heb:1:13

The Holy Spirit to The Father About Humanity: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet."Heb:2:6-8

Jesus To The Father About Church/Humanity:"I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises. "I will put my trust in him." And again he says, "Here am I, and the children God has given me." Heb:2:12-13

The Holy Spirit to Church/Humanty  About  Israel:"Today, if you hear his voice,do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert,where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" Heb:3:7-11

The Holy Spirit to Church:"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Heb:3:15

The Holy Spirit to Church About Israel:"So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest."Heb:4:3

The Holy Spirit Pleads with Humanity: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." Heb:4:7

The Father's Oath  Declared to Jesus About His Priesthood: "You are my Son; today I have become your Father."You are my Son; today I have become your Father." Heb:5:5-6

The Father's Oath  Declared Again to Jesus:"You are a priest forever,in the order of Melchizedek The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind:You are a priest forever.’' Heb:7:17, 21 

Jesus Christ About Israel & the Covenants: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord" Heb:8:8-9

Jesus Christ About Israel-Humanity & the New Covenant: "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord.I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me,from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" Heb:8:7-11

Jesus to The Father, About His Incarnation and Sacrifice: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,but a body you prepared for me;with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God" Heb:10:5-7

The Holy Spirit to Humanity About Forgiveness: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.Their sins and lawless acts. I will remember no more" Heb:10:16-17

The Holy Spirit to Christian About Keeping Faith and Jesus' Coming: "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith.And if he shrinks back,I will not be pleased with him" Heb:10:37-38

The Father to Christians, About the Correction of Love: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline and do not lose heart when he rebukes you because the Lord disciplines those he loves,and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son" Heb:12:5-6

The Father, Son & Holy Spirit :To Christians About His Faithfulness: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" Heb:13:5

We to God About  our Confidence Because of Who He Is:“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.What can man do to me?" Heb:13:4

We have been given the great blessing of Divine Revelation about Who He is and His Love for us that flows out in such abundance, that He has brought us into a relationship with His very self,  and through Jesus, we have been given the privilege to be included in, and to  join in this Holy  Divine Dialogue  ...Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

Fountain of Life Church

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 in Washington, Pa.

And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

The Cross:The Will of God

    The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews in what is called the divine dialogue,  quotes from the Psalms and uses it for the words of Jesus at the incarnation.

 “I have come to do your will, O God”Heb:10:7

In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed “not my will, but yours be done” Lk: 22:42

Jesus didn’t exert His own will; But rather He laid down His life in accordance to the will of God.

Jesus subjugated  and surrendered His will to the Father’s will and went to the Cross. The Cross therefore stands for all  time and eternity; that Jesus Christ would rather die than to be found out side the will of God.

  Christ died because; from the Garden of Eden humanity has been exerting their on will above

 that of the will of God. That is also why it was in a garden that Jesus uttered His words; “your will be done not mine”.  Jesus on the Cross, took on the judgment of humanities self will the judgement that all humanity deserved. Jesus faced the Cross for us out of His perfect love for His Father and us.

 The Cross stands as the logical conclusion to life of complete self sacrifice and sacrifice of the self. , which is being perfectly  conformed to the will of God.  Some  think of Jesus’ sacrifice was only that day on Golgotha, but Jesus sacrificed His whole life, His whole life, All His life, All His life, to the will of the Father.
There was not one  moment in the life of our Lord that was not perfectly conformed to the will of God.

Jesus' life , His living,  was about  accomplishing, that is living out  the will of the Father,:  not just in  His  death.

 “My will is to do the will of Him whosent Me and finish His work” Jhn:4:34

"Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.

 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.’^"

Hebrews:10:5-7

  Jesus invites His followers, that is Christians , to put away the self will and “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me”Mk:8:34  ,  that is, to be  conformed to the will of  God.

Wounds

    When the Apostle John sees the vision of Heaven he sees “a lamb, looking as if it had been slain” Rev: 5:6, .

The lamb symbolized Christ, as John the Baptist pointed Him out there on the banks of that Jordan, as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world. The Revelation  vision shows Jesus in Heaven, in the Resurrection  state, His glorified humanity  as still bearing the marks of slaughter of the crucifixion, the same marks that He displayed to the frighten Apostles , and us, after the resurrection to convince them, and us, that  it is He “He showed them His hands and feet” Lk:24:4

  The marks of slaughter forever identify Jesus as the one who came and did the will of God.  There can never be a question that God’s will was preformed. 

The Cross takes away all of humanities excuses from being excluded from a relationship with Him from all eternity. In the end there can be no reason for any , but their own unwillingness to freely accept what God is freely offering. This how much our God loves and wants each and all of us, that He would give His only Son.

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2Peter:3:9

      Paul told the Galatian Church, “I have been crucified with Christ” Gal: 2:20,

Paul  is telling them and us ,that he has submitted his will to the will of God  through reliance on and faith  in the work of  Jesus on the Cross, Who was is and will always be the ultimate expression of the will of God. For all eternity the Cross  will stand as the witness that the will of God has been carried out perfectly by and through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

Fountain of Life Church

Washington, Pa 

Fountain of Life Broadcast heard on RKP Radio 1710 & 1670 in Washington, Pa.

And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com 

WHO ARE YOU LORD?

If it’s not about Jesus, it’s not about anything Motto of the Fountain of Life

Dear brethren, how we answer  that question, “Who Are You Lord?” indicates how we interpret the Gospel.  Those who say the Lord is the Great Judge, who hates unrighteousness, will preach avoidance of sin to keep out of hell.  While those who say the Lord is the Sweet Savior who loves righteousness, will preach the practice of good works to get into heaven.  These are very broad brush generalizations used to illustrate that how see the Lord strongly forms what we think the Bible says.  So, is He angry or loving, wrathful or merciful, judgmental or gracious?  Who is He?  How do we know?  What lens do we choose to reveal the bible?  Let’s take a moment now to pray for discernment.

KNOWING GOD (A GOD DIVIDED?)

Theology has often followed the lead of Augustine and

Thomas Aquinas and has identified God through His Divine

ontology, or His essence or nature.  His essence is

studied and understood by His attributes such as knowledge

and power.  Augustine would take these human concepts and

magnify them unto perfection and reverse-engineer them

into God’s essence.  Our human knowledge becomes God’s

divine omniscience, our power becomes His omnipotence.  If

He is perfectly good, by definition He cannot sin.  If He

has eternal life, by definition He cannot die.  His divine

holiness is seen as a perfect moral goodness.

This view limits our relationship with God because it

restricts Him to utter otherness from us.  It makes Him an

abstract God divorced from the events of history.  Yes,

Jesus is seen as God atoning, but the Father is seen as

God demanding atonement.  This creates tension if not

separation in God within Himself, one loving, and one

angry.  Many theologies take their primary understanding

of who God is through His Divine nature that is His

ontology.  His essence is understood through the lens of

Greek Philosophy.  The difficulty is that no matter how

well intentioned, it is impossible for an imperfect agent

to perfectly understand perfection.  Therefore, using His

attributes as the lens, we can, at best see Him through a

glass dimly.

We all bring intellectual baggage to the bible and those

bags are layered with our inclinations and preferences.

 Our inclinations are formed by society, politics, gender,

economics, ethnicity and yes, even religion. How can we

peel away these layers and learn what the bible says?  Is

there a key to unlock all this baggage?  Brethren, the

good news is YES.  There is a key.  The key is to view the

bible through the lens of who is Jesus Christ.

A wonderful key scripture is given by Jesus Himself in

Luke 24:27-29 and 44-45.  After the resurrection Jesus

walked with Cleopas and his friend.  “And beginning at

Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all

the scriptures the things concerning Himself.”  Several

hours later Jesus appeared to the eleven.  “And He said

unto them, ‘These are the words which I spake unto you,

while I was yet with you, that all things must be

fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in

the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me.’”  Jesus

is in the Old and the New Testaments.  This is a very

important fact in knowing Who Are You Lord.  Jesus was and

is involved with life and living and He acted in history.

 We know God by what He does.  What He does is who He is.

 Consider here a very free rendering of John 14:8-10:  God

is what He does.

Grace Communion International (GCI) studies God through

His self-revelation through the Word of God through His

actions in history.  We know Him from what He did and

does.  The living Word is Jesus and we see clearly His

activity.  What does God do?  In the New Testament Jesus

is born of woman, He acts with power.  He preaches the

gospel to the poor and deliverance to the captives and the

acceptable year of the Lord.  He heals the brokenhearted,

heals the blind and gives liberty to the bruised (Luke

4:18).  John shows His many acts of love.  Paul refers to

His many acts of love.  What God does, God is.  God is

love.  (1 John 4:16.)

In the Old Testament, the LORD acts with power.  In

Genesis He creates.  He gives law in Exodus and judgment

in the Prophets.  His judgments are given in love.

 Humanly speaking, those judgments seem harsh and angry,

especially toward Samaria and Jerusalem.  Therefore, many

see the God of the Old Testament as different from the God

of the New Testament.  This view of God is incorrect.  God

is not separate or divided one testament from the next,

one covenant from the next.  The God of the Old Testament

is the God of the New.  Hear, O Israel:  The LORD our God

is one LORD.  (Deuteronomy 6:4).  Jesus Christ, the same,

yesterday, today and forever.”  (Hebrews 13:8)

KNOWING GOD (A GOD UNITED)

Regarding this divided identity approach to God,

Theologian John McKenna said during an interview on

“You’re Included” with GCI Theologian Dr. Mike Feazell,

“…it is not an accurate picture of the way He is, in

Himself; it’s not an accurate picture of the way He is in

His acts in history with Himself.  McKenna contends that

there is a continuity in the I AM of the burning bush, the

I AM of the Incarnation, and the I AM of the Holy Trinity.

 He continues, “There’s no separation, but deep and

profound integration of the dogma of the church, with the

biblical speaking of God, with the biblical theologies.

 You can’t have a separation – biblical theology over

here, and church theology over there – which has occurred

in our time, and because of it a lot of people ask this

kind of question, ‘What’s the relationship between the God

of the Old Testament, the God of the new Testament, and

the God of the church?”

Along that line Feazell made this comment: “And by ‘God of

the church,’ it seems there are two kinds…when we talk

about the church and God, there’s one approach we take as

preachers when we’re preaching to a congregation, or when

we’re pastors – we talk about God as being graceful or

full of grace, and forgiving, and patient, and loving and

helping people through crises and so on, encouraging them

to know that God is with them.  And yet when we go to find

a definition for God and we look in the creed of we look

in classical theology, to some degree, we find words like

omnipotent, omnipresent, and all-powerful, and all-knowing

– and we lay out this list as if that’s what God is.  But

when we are experiencing God in day-to-day life, we want

to preach about a God who’s more like Christ, and so it’s

like there are two ideas of God going on.”

Matthew Henry wrote that when God called Himself I am That

I am, “He had made Himself known to Moses in the glory of

His self-existence.  Now (In Exodus 34:6) He makes Himself

known in the glory of His grace.”  In actuality the grace

of God in the Old and in the New, holds the two

testaments, the two covenants together.  We can understand

the relationship between the Old and the New through the

grace of God.  Grace is what God does.

God, in His freedom to be the Great I AM, has defined

Himself in His relationship with his people.  This

relationship is grace.  He defines Himself in Exodus 34:6.

 God chooses to be our God and He chooses Israel, and us,

to be His people.  This free choice is important.  God

makes a commitment by His will and His good pleasure.

 McKenna says, “God will not be who He is without us.”

 And He is gracious toward us.

THE LITTLE REVELATION

(Exodus 34:6)

Exodus 33:19:  “I will be gracious to whom I will be

gracious and merciful to whom I will show mercy.”  How

special was this people to whom God choose to be gracious

and merciful?  They had witnessed a succession of God’s

great works since Egypt.  At the point when Moses is

receiving the Ten Commandments from the great loving I AM,

they abandon the LORD and make a heartless golden calf.

 It is to this rebellious and ungrateful people that God

says “I will be your God and you will be My people.”

The love and commitment of God shine through when God

says, in so many words, “And here is how I will be your

God.”  Exodus 34:6:  “And the LORD passed by before him,

and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, The LORD God merciful and

gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and

truth.’”  In this Little Revelation these terms are

significant because God chooses them to establish Himself

in His relationship with this rebellious people, who

prefer a metal bovine over who He is.  Notice the

description:  Merciful – Gracious – Longsuffering – Good –

Truthful.  The five terms in Hebrew are rachum, hannun,

‘erek ‘appayim, hesed ve ‘emeth.

The Little Revelation shows how God chooses to be God with

His people.  And in the New Testament we can see that

Jesus is the same God, because the same terms flow from

Jesus.  Let’s look at them a bit more closely and find

similar references in the New Testament.

MERCIFUL:  Strong’s Concordance word #7349 – rachum

(rakh-oom’) – compassionate, merciful.  John McKenna

points out that, “Rechum is cognate with the Hebrew

‘womb.’  It has to do…with beginning.  You can’t begin

anything without the rechum of God.  He is the God who

gives birth.”  God’s compassion is likened to that of a

woman from conception through birth.  The sense of rachum

is that you’re talking about the attentive care it takes

to begin something that is of God.  The golden calf did

not possess rachum.  Jesus does.

Matthew 9:27:  “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind

men followed him, crying and saying, ‘Thou son of David,

have MERCY on us.’”

Titus 1:4:  “To Titus, mine own son after the common

faith:  Grace MERCY, and peace, from God the Father and

the Jesus Christ our Savior.”

GRACIOUS:  Strong’s #2587 – channun (khan-noon):  This is

favor. He favors what He has begun and He sustains it by

grace to finish it.  God favors what He has begun.

Romans 16:24:  “The GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ be with

you.”

1 Peter 1:33:  “If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is

GRACIOUS.”

LONGSUFFERING:  Erek Aphayim - an idiom; “long of

nostrils” combining Strong’s #750 – erek, arek (aw-rake):

patient, slow (to anger) and Strong’s #639 – aph (af) –

the nose, the face; rapid breathing in passion.  It is

slow to anger in the sense of patience.  The idiom “long

of nostrils” conveys a more vivid meaning than patience.

 The idiom is set in an angry face with flared nostrils,

as when flared apart as far as possible before one

strikes.  God’s face is very, very slow to look this way.

The book of Hosea offers the vividness of God’s patience.

 Chapter 11:8-9:  God is proclaiming that His heart

recoils from His judgment.  From the King James:  God

promises, “I will not execute the fierceness of My anger.”

 God’s face will not contort in rage because he is patient

with his anger.

Revelation 1:9:  “I John, who also am your brother, and

companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and PATIENCE

of Jesus Christ…”

1 Timothy 1:16:  “Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy,

that in me first, Jesus Christ might shew forth all

LONGSUFFERING…”  

GOODNESS:  Strong’s #2617 – checed or chesed (khehsed):

 piety toward God, beauty, favor, good deed, kindly,

merciful, pity, grace.

Matthew 19:16:  “And, behold, one come and said unto him,

‘GOOD Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have

eternal life?”

John 10:14:  “I am the GOOD shepherd…”

TRUTH:  Strong’s #571 – ‘emeth (eh’ meth):  stability,

certainty, truth, trustworthiness, faithful, right, sure.

 Faith cognate with amen, faith – truth – faithfulness.

John 14:6:  “Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the TRUTH,

and the life.”

2 John 3:  “Grace be with you…from the Lord Jesus

Christ...in TRUTH and love.”

Checed and ‘emeth both are likened to God’s faithfulness

to what He has begun, to what He cares to sustain and to

that to which He is wisely patient.

These five qualities are how Israel experienced Jehovah.

 It is how we experience Jesus.  The God of the covenants

is the same God.  The Rock of Moses is the Rock of Paul (1

Corinthians 10:4).  The Savior of the Gospels is the

Savior of Hosea (Hosea 13:4).  The God of the Little

Revelation is Jesus.  God does what God is = LOVE.  All

His actions, be they mercy, wrath, judgment or abundant

blessings, flow from streams of love.  Brethren, it is

never God against us.  It is always God for us, God with

us, and God in us.  Friends, it is always Jesus for us,

Jesus with us, and Jesus in us.

Praise the name of Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega.  Amen

Rev. George Relic, Assistant Pastor

Fountain of Life

A Congregation of Grace Communion International